


Why I Followed Rose

by kimary65



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: F/F, Love Confessions, Pearl feelings, Sad Pearl, my own ideas, not canon, sad steven
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-14
Updated: 2015-11-14
Packaged: 2018-04-30 20:52:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,808
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5179235
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kimary65/pseuds/kimary65
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Pearl explains to Steven why she followed Rose and confesses how she truly felt about his mother.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Why I Followed Rose

**Author's Note:**

> I don't own anything about Steven Universe. And this is just my thoughts of how Pearl decides to follow Rose. And to anyone that has read my previous work, I'm so sorry for not posting in so long. Been really busy with life and then my laptop stopped working which made posting stories hard. Please enjoy.

Steven has been stuck inside the house for a few hours. The Gems had left to do a mission that was "too dangerous" for him. At least according to Pearl, which seems to be every mission that they go on. Not that Steven blames her, they all do some scary stuff that would lead to someone getting hurt. So while the Gems where away, Steven had cleaned the house entirely. His clothes were clean and put away, everything was dusted and washed down, and he had made a picnic lunch for him and Amethyst when they got back. He knew that Pearl and Garnet don't like to eat food so he made only enough for him and Amethyst, but he hoped that they could all go to his mother's garden and have a nice relaxing time there.

The sound of the transporter made Steven turn around from washing the dirty dishes. He smiled when he saw that the Gems had returned safe yet again. He might have said it out loud to them a few times but he really is thankful to see them come home safe and unharmed. He rushes over to them and laughs while giving them all hugs.

"Garnet, Amethyst, Pearl! You're back. Perfect timing too. I have a picnic all planned out for us and now that you're all back we can head out," Steven said as he hugged them all.

"Sorry Steven but me and Amethyst has somethings that we need to take care of before we can go on that picnic," Garnet explained sadly.

"Aaaaaah," Steven sighed sadly.

"I can still go with you Steven," Pearl said happily.

Steven looked up with a gleam of happiness in his eyes that made all the Gems laugh. They truly loved seeing the child look so happy even though he can't have everything. He's more grown up than they really want him to be, but that's what makes Steven, Steven. And they wouldn't change that for the world. They watched as the boy ran off laughing to himself and as he grabbed a stripped blanket from the cabinet. He rushed to the fridge and grab a lunch sack from inside and he rushed back to the transporter.

Pearl looked slightly sick at the idea of having to eat something, even if Steven made it, she still didn't like the way food made her feel. She was reassured when Steven said, "Don't worry Pearl, I only made food for me. You don't have to eat anything if you don't want to." He smiled up at her and she felt relief wash over her as well as an overwhelming amount of affection toward the boy.

The others moved off the transport pad and waved goodbye to the two. The flash of light swallowed Pearl and Steven and they were off. When they arrived at their destination, Pearl let out a small gasp that was drowned out by the slight wind that was blowing across the field of roses. Rose's garden, her mind supplied. She smiled sadly as she followed Steven to "the perfect spot". As it turned out, it was the perfect spot. You could see the garden run for miles on top of the little hill, and if you looked hard enough you could see the fountain where the statue of Rose showed.

"So how was the mission?" Steven asked once he set the blanket down. He looked up to Pearl and smiled.

"Oh it was fine. A bit of a mess but nothing we couldn't handle," Pearl said nervously. The mission really wasn't that bad but it could have gone a lot worse if her quick thinking and Garnet's tactics didn't show how well they all worked together. She also grew nervous any time Steven asked about missions. She knew he worried about them even though it's not necessary. He reminded her of Rose more than she cares to think about, it just hurt to do so.

Steven seemed to catch onto her sudden mood change and decided not to press further about the mission. He'd get Amethyst to tell him later about it, she always liked to boast about how she was the best or ramble about how great Garnet was. He sat quietly eating the sandwich he made and waited until Pearl seemed ready to talk again. But something bothered him that he's been meaning to ask Pearl but could never talk to her, as she was either surrounded by the others or she shut herself in her room. He thought maybe he could ask her now. Yet he couldn't find the words he was looking for.

"Steven, you ok? You went really quiet," Pearl asked concerned.

"Umm....I was just..... wondering.... how you and my mom met. I mean I don't really know how any of you guys met but I want to know you better. We're family and I guess I'm just curious is all," Steven stumbled for words. He looked shy and scared that he asked. Pearl looked taken aback at the question and Steven just huddled into himself. "You knew my mother best and I guess I want to know more, but if you don't want to then that's fine"

"N...no Steven it's ok. I just wasn't expecting you to ask. You never really seemed interested in your mom before. It's just a sudden question I suppose. It's not a story that I like sharing because it's painful to remember, but I'll tell you because you deserve to know how amazing your mother was," Pearl reassured. Steven looked up and his eyes shinned with the boyish curiosity like always. Pearl took a steadying breath before starting her story.

 

************************************************

It was a shining day on Home World. The gems walked around with smiles and laughter. The sound made Rose smile fondly at her people. They had a few bumps in the road but her people always seemed to come out of it just fine. She was loved by all her followers, she ruled with a firm but caring hand and always gave people opportunities to improve and do better. She was a well respected member of the High Gem Counsel. Rose Quarts was her official title but to her people she was just Rose, caring and beautiful leader. She walked alone in her garden when she saw a blue flash stop beside her.

"Hello Sapphire. What can I do for you?" Rose asked the small gem by her side.

"My lady, the lady Yellow Diamond has arrived and wishes to speak with you," Sapphire said nervously. She never liked being away from her love, Ruby, even for a little while. Those two were inseparable and often fused to make Garnet, her most loyal guard. Only when other High counsel members arrived did they defuse but are always close enough to fuse again if Rose was ever in danger. Fusion was seen as a last resort to most gems but to Rose, it was a beautiful combination of two gems that share a bond like no other.

Rose shook her head and focused on the situation at hand. "Thank you Sapphire. You may return to Ruby now and see that she hasn't destroyed something in your absence."

Sapphire smiled gratefully at her and rushed off. Rose made her way back to the Throne room rather reluctantly. She wasn't a fan of Yellow Diamond. Yellow Diamond had a tendency to be extreme in a lot of ways but is not to extreme to be removed from the counsel. Even if she was removed, there is no doubt that she wouldn't put up a fight and being one of the strongest gems made her extremely hard to fight. Sighing again, Rose opens the door to the throne room.

"Ah Rose Quarts. Just the gem I was looking for. I brought you a little present as a way of congratulating you on your victory in defending your borders," Yellow Diamond said with a bit of vicious humor. She tugged her arm forward and only then did Rose realize that the other gem was holding onto a leash and on the leash was a pearl. A very dirty and sad looking pearl. "This little thing," she says thing like the pearl was actually a piece of gunk that you find on the bottom of your shoe, "is the perfect gift for a high class gem like yourself and I figured that you'd like to have your own slave to help maintain your little home."

Rose looked at the pearl with sympathetic eyes and a slight bit of hatred. The pearl must have seen the hatred only and moved to hide behind Yellow Diamond but was just yanked back to stand in front of her. Yellow Diamond smacked the pearl to the ground and began to shout at her when Rose finally had enough. "Thank you Yellow Diamond. I appreciate the...gift and will accept it gladly. Is there anything else that I can do for you? If not then I believe that we both have a lot to get finished before the next counsel meeting," Rose said with as much patience as she could muster.

Yellow Diamond handed the leash to Rose and left without a word. Rose glared after the other gem before sighing and turning to the pearl. She was still huddled into herself, her clothes covered in dirt and torn in a few places. This pearl has been through so much from the looks of it and it made Rose sick. No pearl has ever looked like this in her kingdom. They were always treated like precious beings, always well kept and shining just as brightly as any true gem. They weren't treated like they had been tossed around for the fun of it. Just proves to show how cruel Yellow Diamond treats her pearls and maybe even her people.

"What's your name?" Rose asked gently.

"Whatever you wish it to be, my lady," the pearl said. 

Rose sighed and gently placed her hand onto the smaller being's shoulder. She was so thin, most pearls are larger and more fit looking. This one was lethal and lean, able to move swiftly and elegantly. Rose would take care of her as she does with all her people. And first things first, "Why don't you get washed up and join me for a walk in the gardens? Is that alright, Pearl?"

Pearl looked up at Rose with a bit of mistrust but also awe. No one had ever called her by the name she preferred. Most pearls accept their new names with grace and never argue. Usually names are given to pearls in order to tell another gems' pearl from others. Also collars or colored ties are can been seen on a pearl to show who is the gem that owns them. But pearls were nothing special and that they are only used for workers and tenants to those who own them. No own cared about what a pearl felt or thought.

"You can stop those thoughts right now Pearl. They do nothing but make you feel hatred to those who do not deserve it. You now live with me Pearl, you don't have to worry about not being welcomed. As for now, please rest and relax," Rose spoke gently.

Pearl nodded her head and looked to see that there was a tall gem standing next to her. Her purple-ish skin and large square hair stood out in the lightly pained walls. She was huge, not as large as Rose Quarts and Yellow Diamond, but still large enough to tower over her. Pearl shrank away in fear that she would upset the new gem and get punished for something.

"You don't have to be scared of Garnet, she wouldn't hurt anyone without a really good reason. Garnet would you mind showing Pearl her new room," Rose asked the gem, Garnet. Garnet just nodded her head and began to walk away. Not wanting to get in trouble, Pearl rushed after her.

Rose just sighed and shook her head. This pearl was going to need a lot of care and understanding. she wanted Pearl to feel at home and maybe open up to other gems, but it didn't seem like that was going to happen anytime soon. But Rose was never one to give up when time got tough. So Rose planned, like she always does when she's determined to figure out how to win a battle. This time the battle was to get Pearl to be someone important.

**********************************************

A few hundred years later, Rose was walking in the gardens along with her Pearl. Pearl had a smile upon her face and she was talking about how much fun it was to almost beat Garnet in a fight. Rose smiled brightly at Pearl as she continued telling her about the sparing match with Garnet. Rose had been there and knew the outcome but it was still so nice to hear how excited Pearl became about whatever was on her mind. She had been talking for hours now, about how much she's learned about other planets and the cultures there, the different tech that she could put together and use in a moments notice. Pearl has come a long way from the scared gem she used to be. As a pearl, Pearl wasn't really supposed to know all this information, especially how to fight, but Rose was never one to follow rules.

"And I almost had her. If I had moved to the right and thrust like you taught me, then I would have gotten her," Pearl explained. Pearl at first refused to learn to fight but quickly changed her mind after the first battle she was thrown into. Rose had been so very kind and caring that she made Pearl feel like there was no other gem as special as her. So seeing Rose charge in front of her, to protect her from the enemy, made Pearl determined to learn how to fight. Not for herself, but to defend Rose like she had for her.

Once she started to learn to fight, Rose suggested learning other things. Pearl took to those ideas as well and enjoyed every moment of it. Rose was the perfect teacher and instructor. Pearl loved the time they spent together, because Rose never treated her differently after finding out her past. Yellow Diamond had beaten and tossed Pearl about like a doll. She never actually cared that treating a pearl like that could cause a pearl to loose the will to ever serve gems and loose their purpose in life, eventually leading to a pearl to crack. Rose had began to heal that crack and gave so much to help Pearl. Pearl continued to smile all the way through the walk in the garden, never once took her eyes off of Rose's beautiful face.

*********************************************************

"Your mother made me feel so loved that I would do anything for her," Pearl sighed softly. She whipped a few tears from her eyes and sniffed softly. "When your mother left, I felt like a part of me went with her. I loved her with all of my being and I will always be indebted to her. And that is why I followed Rose anywhere."

Steven sat there holding Pearl's hand. He had grabbed it after he saw how she shook with fear or grief. He hadn't meant to cause Pearl pain, he just wanted to know a bit about her and his mom. He knew Pearl loved Rose, it was obvious that time when Pearl explained how much his mother trusted her. He felt bad about making Pearl cry. Pearl smiled sadly at him but squeezed his hand reassuringly.

"I'm sorry Pearl. I didn't mean to make you cry or sad. I just want you to be happy," Steven sniffed.

Pearl was hit with the flashback to when Rose told her the same thing. She smiled as she cried again, this time holding Steven to her. They stayed like that for a long time. So long that the other gems searched for them, only to find both Steven and Pearl asleep on the blanket. They looked peaceful and sad at the same time. Garnet knew what they must have been talking about. She had been there too and has only known Pearl to cry when remembering Yellow Diamond or Rose. But Yellow Diamond had no control over Pearl's heart, so it must have been Rose. Quietly, Garnet picked up Steven and Pearl, caring them all the way back to the house. Once there, Garnet laid them both out on Steven's bed and covered them with a blanket. The two of them slept through the night, curled up next to each other, remembering the person that made one gem feel like she was perfect and whole.


End file.
